BREAKING: Boko Haram Terrorists Agree to Release 50 Women and Children from 416 Abducted in Borno State
A faction of Boko Haram terrorists has agreed to release 50 women and children from the group of 416 people they abducted in Borno State.
The decision comes after weeks of mediation by the Borno South Youth Alliance.
The terrorists abducted the victims, mostly women and children, from Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area.
They later released videos showing the captives and issued ultimatums that included a demand for ₦5 billion and threats to execute them if their conditions were not met.
The deadlines passed without full resolution, and the terrorists then scattered many of the captives across different locations.
In a voice note obtained, a representative of the terrorists explained the challenge of gathering the remaining hostages.
“All of the women have been scattered, it will be hard to see two women in the same place,” he said in Hausa.
He added that some had been moved nearly 200 kilometres away, making it difficult to bring them together quickly.
Samaila Ibrahim Kaigam, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance, confirmed the partial agreement on Tuesday evening.
He said the terrorists accepted the plan for 50 women and children following sustained discussions.
Families of the victims and well-wishers will contribute money towards their release.
The amount has not been fixed, and once the funds are gathered, the terrorists will decide based on what is presented.
Names of contributors and their relatives will be documented, with priority given to those families.
Kaigam noted that this arrangement marks a reduction from the earlier ₦5 billion demand.
He commended the Nigerian Army for showing more commitment than many political officeholders in the efforts to free the hostages.
The terrorists have warned that the fate of the remaining captives remains uncertain
After the release of the first group, they indicated that some of those left behind may be kept while others could face execution, with possible recordings of such actions.
The scattering of the captives followed the expiry of previous ultimatums.
The Borno South Youth Alliance has called on Nigerians, especially people from Southern Borno, and the international community to support the effort with contributions so the 50 women and children can return safely.
This development follows earlier reports in April where the terrorists released videos of the captives pleading for help and set short deadlines for action.
The mediation process has continued despite the challenges.
